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Sustainability Science & Policy – (M.Sc.)
Maastricht University
ICIS-Maastricht University Graduate School of SusTainability Science (MUST)
- Programme website
- ICIS
- MUST
- University website
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| Application Deadline: | Start in 1 September: July (non-EEA: June). | ||
| Annual Tuition Fee: | ≈ € 1,771 - ≈ € 12,000 (non-EEA) | ||
| Location: | Maastricht / Netherlands / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴ | ||
| Duration: | 12 months | Start Date: | September |
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| Credits (ECTS): | 60 | ||
| Languages: | English | ||
Location of Maastricht University
This one-year Master Programme Sustainability Science and Policy (MSc SSP) has its own unique character, composed of its integrative and interdisciplinary approach embedded in an international context, and its focus on methods and tools for integrated knowledge production and sustainability assessment (for policy). The Master explicitly focuses on sustainability assessment, and its potential integrative role in a policy context.
The aim of the SSP MSc-programme is to educate students into sustainability professionals, who:
- have the competences – based on a thorough academic understanding of interdisciplinary and integrative approaches towards sustainable development – to recognise, analyse, and respond to sustainability challenges
- can design, conduct and evaluate sustainability assessments (for policy-making) in collaboration with other disciplines and stakeholders
- are able to operate at the interface of science, policy and society
Students will learn to identify, analyze and address sustainability problems from an integrated perspective. During the programme, they will acquire competences (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) to function as well-qualified, interdisciplinary professionals in the field of sustainable development, both at theoretical level and practical level.
Contents
Course descriptions
The programme consists of three themes that are characteristic for its design: ‘Understanding Sustainability’, ‘Policy for Sustainability’, and ‘Assessing Sustainability’.
Four core courses -‘Fundamentals of Sustainable Development’, ‘Global Dynamics of Sustainable Development’, ‘Governance for Sustainable Development’, and ‘Sustainability, Law and Economic regulation’- will together provide the scientific base in sustainable development as well as in policy-making within the context of sustainable development. Subsequently, the programme will focus on ‘Sustainability Assessment’. This means that students will learn to design, conduct, and evaluate sustainability assessments for policy-making in the pursuit of sustainable development. For this, three core courses are central: ‘Knowledge Production for Sustainable Development’, ‘Methods and Tools of Sustainability Assessment’, and ‘Sustainability Assessment Project’.
The core courses are complemented by the skills training and Master thesis. Through their Master thesis, students will make use of knowledge, methods and tools acquired during the programme, especially in the field of integrated sustainability assessment. Content wise, the thesis will focus on a real-world sustainability issue, where a sustainability assessment might contribute to a more integrated approach for policy-making in the pursuit of sustainable development.
Educational Format: Problem Based Learning
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) makes the Maastricht system ‘student-centred’ instead of ‘teacher-centred’: students work in small groups of circa 10-15 people, with staff, complementary lectures and teaching material close at hand to help them. PBL is very well-suited for teaching courses on sustainability (assessment), as it is problem-driven rather than theory-driven, and requires students to be active and participatory rather than passive. It implies small-scale teaching and intensive group work, which are essential when tackling real-life problems that can only be adequately addressed from an integrated perspective.
As the MSc SSP attracts students from different nationalities and disciplines, the resulting international, multidisciplinary learning environment enriches the discussions between students (and staff) and fosters social learning.
The PBL format contributes to the development of a number of personal characteristics that are essential for scholars and professionals in the field of sustainable development, such as: sense of responsibility, critical attitude, eye for the distinction between facts and values, respect for opinions of others, capability of making decisions, and integrated problem handling.
You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.
Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.
More informationRequirements
The admission procedure for Master of Science programme in Sustainability Science and Policy (MSc SSP) requires students to submit the following documents with their application:
- A completed and signed application form.
- A copy of valid passport or ID-card
- A portrait picture
- A certified copy of the obtained Bachelor diploma
- A certified copy of detailed record/transcript of academic performance during the Bachelor phase, with an overview of the courses taken, including grades
- Demonstration of eligibility based on former education:
- at least 15 ECTS credits of courses related to the following topics: sustainable development, sustainability science, development studies, globalization or governance.
- at least 15 ECTS on scientific methods
- A motivation letter describing the applicant’s motivation for the Master programme (max. 1000 words)
- A copy of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certificate or Cambridge Proficiency certificate
- A curriculum vitae
- Two letters of recommendation from supervisors during the Bachelor phase
- An essay paper on applicant’s personal view on the field of ´Sustainability Science and Policy´ (1000-1500 words)
Language Proficiency
| Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): | Grade C (Score: 60) |
Accreditation
This Master programme has been accredited by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO).
Funding details
Scholarships
There are various scholarships for the master’s programmes at Maastricht University, including the High Potential Scholarship Programme, Nuffic, World Bank, and HSP Huygens Fund. For more information, visit: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/scholarships or www.grantfinder.nl
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